Spotify has made some serious moves as it aims to develop the audio mix on the platform

In the past 24 hours, Spotify has made it clear that it intends to double-down on non-music content. Firstly, it debuted its first-ever brand-partnered original podcast series. 'Ebb & Flow' will be hosted by Jasmine Solano and is sponsored by New Amsterdam Vodka. In conversations with Solano, R&B and hip-hop artists will "get real with their fans and share stories about their hustle and grind, tears and doubts, and the good, bad and ugly of their come up in the music industry".

"At Spotify, we are focused on fueling the discovery of stories, culture and communities through audio-driven experiences," the streaming giant said in its announcement of the series. "Podcasts are an integral part of this discovery. And as the number two podcast provider in the world, podcasts help us to bring fans closer to the creators and subject matters they love."

Spotify has exclusively signed The Joe Budden Podcast to the platform

Whilst the launch of 'Ebb & Flow' illustrates that Spotify is looking to launch more of its own branded original podcasts, it has also signed its first exclusive deal. The Joe Budden Podcast (pictured), a chart-topping hip-hop cast, will be exclusively available on Spotify from September 12th 2018. Whilst it will remain available on other platforms, the content will be doubled in frequency on Spotify, with an episode every Wednesday and Saturday.

“I’d like to thank Spotify for this tremendous opportunity to take The Joe Budden Podcast and podcasting in general to heights never before seen,” said Budden. “Our partnership is extremely humbling for me and adds yet another chapter to a career full of plot twists.

Courtney Holt, Head of Spotify Studios, said: “As we continue to expand and diversify our content slate, teaming up with The Joe Budden Podcast is an exciting move for Spotify."

With 50% of all US homes considered to be podcast fans (Nielsen, Aug 2017), it makes sense for Spotify to capitalise on its rapid growth in popularity. By increasing the consumptions of podcasts on Spotify, the streaming giant will increase the overall time spent on the platform, largely due to greater length of an episode compared to a track. Whilst this opens up the potential to improved ad revenue, Spotify will be more excited about the financial gains available through branded content, such as the 'Ebb & Flow' podcast.

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